Shocked. Being called into the classroom

First up. I’ve been amazed by how well my blog has been received. Many clients and gym members have all shown a positive interest and I have received some good feedback during the past week.
I think I briefly touched on it in the last post but it’s true to say that the people I work with do value help and advice. Already I have seen how my blog has reached out and captured people.
Being new to blogging, I do feel a sense of energy overload. I have all these ideas in my head about what subjects I’m going to cover and I’m even talking about my next blog to gym members and brainstorming for my upcoming posts. I will get some good in-depth and specific training blogs out soon.
I’ve even considered looking into a podcast. I had a good ninety-minute phone call on Tuesday night with my good friend Mark. After covering a general catch-up and some business talk, Mark made me aware of a podcast he recently featured on and sent me the link. I gave it a listen and I must say it was very good and inspiring. So inspiring, in fact, that now I want to do one….
When we listen, we learn.
Another point to be made is that we got onto the talk of podcasts through my blog activity. Mark had actually read my blog, which was nice to know and pretty cool at the same time, but then he shared his knowledge and ideas on the podcast game. Mark is in the property world and knows his stuff. Its reviving for me as I can leach from his knowledge and generally just listen to him but use his ideas, habits and practices and make them relevant to my business…
As a sub-point to the above, don’t shy away from chatting and reaching out. Network and use people. The use of people in a positive light to help develop your pathways may move your world forward at a faster rate. Accept help. Another thing I am learning.
In line with this big shout out to one of my gym members, SJ, who has offered to proof-read and help me with my posts. Believe me I need it. Again, this is all positive and it’s actually quite overwhelming that people are interested in my writing. I’m actually surprised how many people blog and get stuck in. It feels like Fight Club….
Anyway – on to the main purpose of this post. Let’s cover some lifestyle. How many of you are parents?
Let’s define that…parents whose children have just started school for their first year?
My lad, Taio, has just completed his second week at school. Nine to Three daily. I’ve been taking him to school on ad hoc days and picking him up too. It’s made the household have to adapt and change our weekly plans to work around ‘The School Run’. Something I am lucky with in my line of work. I have adapted my PT Diary now so that I work early and late and have a gap in the afternoon to eat, train and help out with school duties. So far, so good.
I want to mention here that in my experience, PTs often like to express how busy they are and give off the impression that they are snowed under. But if you achieve the balance between experience, effective time management and working with the clients you want, then in my opinion that is one of the most rewarding parts of the industry.
Be smart with how you work and build your days on making sh*t happen. Earn your living whilst also taking care of your well-being, of which ‘enjoyment’ plays a big part. Enjoy what you do and the tasks you may set out for yourself. AND don’t forget stress management. Do things that make you happy.
Believe me I have been there: snowed under with work. I do not accept that any more. I have matured; I run my diary with supply and demand in mind, and I have become very selective with the client base I work with. I work on an ‘above line’ and ‘below line’ model. Priority things stay in the ‘above line’ category. Energy vampires and tasks that make me busy without adding value will remain below the priority line.
So back to the story; I’ve entered the school to pick the boy up. Mrs B has called me into the classroom after it has cleared out and said that she wants to have a word with me about Taio.
She’s shown me around and pointed out my son’s work and where he keeps his belongings in his ‘tray’. At this stage I was slightly baffled and thinking that she was going to drop a bomb. Had he struck another child? Been badly behaved? You can imagine I am thinking all of the obvious things that run through a parent’s mind.
But….
No, “Taio is a role model.” she told me. I laughed. “Taio has been ‘motivating’ the other children and telling them ‘well done’. Taio is a pleasure to teach and sits at the front of the class and listens really well.” (At this stage I am wondering if we are talking about the same child)
I was also pretty pumped. I asked a sequence of questions and more than likely Mrs B. picked up on the fact that I was actually elated by the news. I think if you’re a parent reading this, you will understand the feeling.
On a more serious note, it’s probably fair to say that every parent worries when their child first starts school. I was terrified. The thought of him being bullied or not settling in… I have often discussed with his mother what the psychological process must be like for a four-year-old making that first step into ‘Big School’. I might have shed a quiet tear the day he started. (I said “might have” – remember I’m an alpha male?)
In conclusion it’s been a good week and I take this as good news. I’ve been telling my clients the story, and Taio was rewarded with some new trainers and a toy for his efforts. The new diary and work system is working well for me and it’s nice to have some additional time with my children. I’ve been referred to by the school as the ‘Gym Guy’ or the ‘Bootcamp Man’ which I will take! That’s not too bad. After all, my clients call me several other things….